Naruto: A Fanfiction
by eileenxxxm
Summary: Ryu, Akane wakes up in Konoha with no memory of her past life. And the longer she stays in the Hidden Leaf Village, the more her life changes. Rated M for future language and mature content.
1. Chapter 1

Naruto: A Fanfiction

I ran as fast as I could, my bag and sword bumping against my back as I fled for my life. I heard the men chasing after me, cursing and threatening. My expensive kimono dress was being torn to shreds by the brambles and tree branches, and my feet blistered in my high heeled boots. But I continued to run. I could not be captured. The consequences would be too severe. One of the men caught up to me, grabbing my knee-length red hair. I panicked and unsheathed my sword, swiping at my hair and cutting some off, along with some of the man's fingers. He screamed and I ran on, my hair now jaggedly cut and reaching the middle of my back. My feet pounded on the earth to the rhythm of my heart as I continued to flee. They were catching up. I began to run so fast it almost felt like I was flying. My heart threatened to burst out of my chest with fear. Then I heard one of the men yell, "Ninpou: Kenbo no Jutsu!" and I felt a searing pain in my lower back. I howled in agony. As I ran, my vision went red. I felt fury. I turned to fight. When I walked away, all I saw was blood. I walked on for what seemed like days, until my legs could no longer carry me. I could not think of anything but pain. I saw a large oak tree through the haze of pain, and I sat against it, sliding down until I fell to the side, unconscious.

I woke up to someone repeatedly jabbing me in the ribs with the toe of their foot. My eyes opened slowly to a haze of green. My head was pounding. "Hey, are you alright?" someone asked, and I moved my head to the side. Three people stood with masks and assorted weapons strapped on them. They also had on some kind of ninja gear that was vaguely familiar. All the same, I was terrified. My hand slowly reached behind my back for my sword. Right as I lunged at the men, someone hit my neck from behind. Then, one of the men in front of me kicked me on the side of the head. I dropped to the grass, unconscious again.

I was jolted awake again as I was roughly thrown to the ground. "Get up," a man commanded, yanking me upright by my hair. Delirious with pain, I plopped back on my butt, looking around. My hands were tied behind me, the rope bound so tightly I could feel trickles of blood running down my wrists. There were three masked men behind me, weapons ready.

I looked up fearfully at an old man who stood before me in a white and red robe, smoking a pipe. There was also a silver haired man next to him in ninja gear, wearing a mask that covered the lower part of his face and a headband that covered one eye. Clearing my dry, scratchy throat, I asked, "Who are you people? Why am I here?" The old man chuckled. "Why, we should be asking you that question. But I am Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage of this village. You are in Konohagakure, the Leaf Village. What is your name?" The word Konohagakure was vaguely familiar for some reason. But when I tried to think, my head only pounded harder. It was the same when I tried to remember my name. "I… I don't remember… I don't remember anything…" Sarutobi puffed his pipe and lifted an eyebrow dubiously. "Really?.. Well, can you remember why you woke up in the woods, bloody and disheveled?" I shook my head slowly. It hurt so much.

"We should let Ibiki look at her," one of the men chuckled, kicking me in my side. "Maybe a little pain will help her remember." Sarutobi glared at the man. "Get out of here. And stop mistreating her at once." The men said "Yes, sir!" in unison before disappearing in a puff of smoke. I sat on the floor, still looking up at the Hokage and the other man fearfully. The masked man stepped forward. "You don't need to be so fearful of us," he said casually, smiling under his mask. "My name is Hatake, Kakashi. " I nodded, and looked back to the Hokage. "Can you please let me go?" I am not a threat to you. I don't want to be here." The old man exhaled some smoke before looking me over again. "You may leave whenever you please. However, I insist that you remain at our hospital for a day or two. You don't look so well." I was about to protest, but then a sharp pain in my back made me wince. "Fine. Untie me, please." Kakashi took out a kunai and walked behind me, slicing my ropes in one swipe. Sarutobi noticed me wrapping a hand around one bloody wrist to try to stop the throbbing, and frowned. "I will talk to those ANBU men. They had no right to treat a lady that way." I smiled weakly in thanks.

Kakashi gently placed his hand under my arm to try to help me up. I flinched, but since I was too weak to walk by myself, I let him assist me. For some reason, his touch made my skin crawl. He made a quick hand sign, and we were in front of the hospital. He helped me limp inside, where we found Sarutobi waiting with my bag, sword, and a doctor to look me over. "Hello, I am Shizune," the doctor greeted me, waving slightly with her slender hand. I nodded in acknowledgement. My vision was blurring. Damn, my head hurt. Shizune led us to a hospital room and had the men wait outside while she examined me. "Now.. what is your name, dear?" "I don't remember," I said flatly. Shizune blinked. "Well… alright. Will you please remove your clothing? I want to make sure you're not injured." I stumbled to the bed, staining the white sheets with my bloody hands, and slowly peeled off my torn dress. As I bent down to try to remove my boots, I felt a strong burning sensation in my back. I suddenly cried out in agony, falling to my knees. Everything was blurring. The last thing I heard was Shizune's worried voice and someone bursting in the room. The pain was fading, and I mercifully slipped into darkness.

Kakashi's mouth went dry as he stared at the girl's half naked body. He and Shizune had put her on the bed, and Sarutobi removed her boots. The sight of her feet made them all gasp. Her small, slender feet were blistered, bloody, and raw, as if she'd walked for days without stopping. Her striking red hair was matted, dirty, and jaggedly cut. There was a slight bruise on one side of her face. Her body was coated with dry blood, and bruises and cuts littered her legs and arms. What was truly peculiar, however, was her back. As she was screaming in agony, Shizune had glimpsed something red glowing on her back. When they all looked, they saw an intricate dragon tattoo that took up the right side of her back. Underneath it was a seal. "What does this mean?..." Shizune asked, her eyes glued to the girl. "Who is she?" Sarutobi squinted at the seal on the girl's back. "This is a seal that causes amnesia. No wonder she cannot remember anything." "Can we break the seal?" Kakashi asked, still studying the girl. She was quite beautiful. Why was she in this condition? Sarutobi shook his head. "This seal can only be broken by her. And she might not be strong enough to." Shizune glared at the seal on the girl's back. "This is … who would do this? Why?" Kakashi closed his eyes briefly in disgust. "Someone wanted to make sure she couldn't access her memories. I'm very curious about this girl.. did you notice how jumpy she was? She looks like she had been fighting for her life."


	2. Chapter 2

My eyes opened slowly to a blur of white. Sunlight was blinding me, adding to my pounding headache. My body felt terrible, bruised, sticky and sore. I slowly turned my aching neck, forcing my eyes completely open. And found Kakashi sitting near my bed, reading some perverted orange book.

At that moment, he saw I was awake. "Yo!" he greeted, smiling under his mask. "How are you feeling?" "Like absolute shit," I croaked, closing my eyes again in agony. "Can I have some water?"

"Oh, sure!" Kakashi said, jumping up to get me a glass, which I downed in three seconds. I looked around, realizing this was a hospital room. "How long have I been here?" I asked.

Kakashi scratched his hair. "About three days. You were pretty roughed up."

I felt troubled. Why the hell couldn't I remember anything? Why was I so hurt?

Kakashi cleared his throat. "There's something you should know… You might not be aware, but there is a seal on your back that causes amnesia. Someone didn't want you to remember anything."

I looked up at him sharply, forcing myself upright despite my aching muscles. "What the hell do you mean? " I demanded.

"Exactly that," Kakashi replied with his seemingly usual bored expression. "Someone placed a seal on you. It also seems that you have something inside you, some kind of strong power that is trying to reject the seal. However, your power hasn't been enough to break it. You were examined while you were unconscious."

I glared at him. "Okay. Since you all apparently know so much already, then how the fuck do I break this seal so I can know what the hell is going on?"

Kakashi just smiled again, further irritating me. "You must break it on your own. The problem is you're not strong enough to do so yet. It seems that power inside you has been curtailed so it won't run rampant. So now you must break that barrier as well so you can regain your memories."

I closed my eyes, rubbing my forehead in exasperation. Kakashi was quiet for a moment, and then said, "Come to think of it, you remind me a bit of a Jinchuriki."

"What is that?" I asked. Why was that word so familiar? The more I tried to think, the more my head hurt. I felt the same reaction when I tried to remember anything at all, even something trivial like my name.

"A Jinchuriki is a human with a Tailed Beast inside them. The tailed beast is a powerful living form of chakra. There are nine of them, and they all look like different animals."

I just shrugged.

"That tattoo on your back is very beautiful," Kakashi added. "Perhaps there is a dragon inside you as some other kind of chakra monster."

I shrugged again. "I suppose I'll have to find out." Kakashi nodded. "So... Where will you go now?"

Damn. That was a good question. I sighed, looking out the window into the bright ass, blinding sunlight.

"I don't know yet. I guess I can stay in a hotel or something until I can get it together." Kakashi nodded. "Are you a shinobi? Or a samurai of some sort? I see you have a beautiful sword, and the ANBU men said you were very quick. If there hadn't been someone else behind you, you could have inflicted damage."

I shrugged again. "I suppose I know how to fight. I have no memory of it, but I can feel it." I smacked a palm against my forehead angrily. "This is frustrating as hell."

Kakashi's visible eye crinkled in a smile. "I like you. You're quite a mystery. Now, are you sure you don't even remember your name? I feel strange calling you 'girl'".

I shook my head. "I don't remember a thing…"

Kakashi shrugged. "Well, no matter. Would you like to shower and eat? I can have a nurse come help."

I slowly slid my legs from under the blanket and tried to stand. My feet were bandaged and they hurt like hell, and my legs felt like I'd ran a marathon, but I could stand. I slowly made my way to my things and picked them up. Then I remembered I was naked except for a hospital shirt that was loosely tied in the back and barely reached mid-thigh. I whirled around so I was facing Kakashi, a blush slowly spreading on my cheeks.

"I can manage with the shower. But could you tell them to bring something to eat?"

Kakashi just smiled, seemingly aware of my embarrassment but trying not to make a big deal out of it.

"Sure. Be careful." As he turned to leave, I suddenly remembered how I'd woken up to him by my side.

"Kakashi, how long have you been here?" I asked, and he turned.

"The whole time you've been unconscious," he replied casually. My eyes widened in surprise, and a little of something else. It was a strange feeling, a mix of disgust and fear and anger. Why I felt that was beyond me, because Kakashi had done nothing but help me so far. So I simply nodded. Kakashi was studying me, his one visible eye meeting intently with mine.

"I don't know if you understand, but you could be in danger," Kakashi said. "No one would go to the trouble of placing a seal on you if there weren't certain things you're not supposed to remember. And we found you battered and bruised, and covered in blood. You look like you barely escaped with your life. Who or what you escaped, we don't know, because you can't remember. But it is important that you break that seal quickly, because someone could try to make sure you _don't _get the chance to."

I stared at Kakashi, my mouth dry. I was trying not to let his words sink in too much, but somehow, with every fiber of my being, I knew he was right. I wasn't completely safe. But I plastered a smile on my face anyway, and nodded again.

"Well, thank you for keeping me company, I guess. I'll see you soon." Kakashi nodded, and walked out. I walked into the bathroom, dropped my stuff on the floor, and looked in the mirror.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Quick description of Akane: Bright, vibrant red hair, milk and honey skin with a light glow, bright, light yellowish amber eyes, a slim but curvy and firm body, , 38B breasts, long nails, 5'2", 16 years old. Yeah .. enjoy the story! : )

I looked as bad as I felt. My hair looked matted and gross, and as if it had been cut with a spoon. The side of my face was a lovely yellowish purple, courtesy of the asshole ANBU who'd kicked me in the head. I slipped off my hospital gown and scrutinized my body. I was covered in bruises and various healing cuts. My feet were raw and bloody. As I twisted and turned, I also noticed scars. I had a lot of them. I sighed, turning on the water and stepping into the shower. I let the steaming water run over my head and body, washing away the blood, dirt and sweat as I tried to sort out my thoughts. What the fuck was going on?

[3rd person p.o.v]

Kakashi walked to the Ichiraku Ramen Shop to pick up some ramen for the girl. He thought about her embarrassment when she realized she was walking around him in only a shirt. "She's beautiful, but quite a mystery," he thought. And something about her reminded him so much of Naruto. There was fire in her eyes, a strange intensity that pulls you in, that separates her from everyone. And she didn't even seem to be aware of the sexuality she exuded for someone so young.

Speaking of the devil, out of nowhere Naruto yelled out, "Hey, Kakashi Sensei!" and burst into his thoughts. Along with the boisterous blonde were Sakura and Sasuke. "Yo!" Kakashi called out, throwing up a peace sign. "What's up, Kakashi Sensei?!" Naruto exclaimed in his loud, obnoxious voice. "Are you gonna treat us to some ramen?"

Kakashi chuckled. "Sorry, Naruto, you really hurt my wallet last time. Besides, I'm getting food for someone else.

" Hearing this, Sakura perked up. "Who is it?" she asked excitedly. "Do you have a new lady friend we should know about?"

Kakashi got an anime sweat drop. "No, no, nothing like that. It is for a girl, though. She is in the hospital. Maybe you guys can come along and meet her."

"That sounds awesome!" Naruto exclaimed with a big grin. "Hn. Whatever," Sasuke said in his usual bored tone, although he was curious. Who was this girl?

As Kakashi paid for the food and they walked towards the hospital, Sakura inquired, "Kakashi Sensei, who is this girl? And why are you bringing her food?"

"It was my mission to watch her," Kakashi replied. "And because, Sakura, as an aspiring Medical Ninja, you should know that hospital food isn't the best."

Sakura giggled. "Well, that's true. So, what's her name?"

Kakashi paused for a moment. "Ah, well. We found her in the forest, and she doesn't remember anything right now. So it's probably best not to ask her any questions."

"Whoa, that's weird!" Naruto said, his brow crinkled in confusion. They arrived at the hospital and headed to the mystery girl's room.

[Akane's p.o.v]

I stood naked in the bathroom, using a sharp knife I'd found in my bag to try to trim the jagged ends of my hair. Once I was satisfied, I dug through what clothes I had. I put on a pair of lacy black underwear; black short shorts that would allow me to display my lovely bruised and cut up legs, and a black cotton shirt. I put some ointment on my mangled feet and bandaged them before slipping them into some black ninja sandals. I wondered why I hadn't put those on before I'd ended up here with my feet looking like pieces of raw meat. I quickly brushed through my hair and gathered up my things. There were a couple of notebooks and some scroll that I decided not to look at until later. There was also a fat pouch, which I did look into. Inside it was a considerable amount of money, at least ¥800,000 (about $10,000 U.S. currency). I blinked in surprise, then just stuffed everything in my bag and grabbed my sword. I really had to regain my memory. This whole situation was getting strange.

Seconds after I walked out of the bathroom, Kakashi arrived with three kids and a covered bowl of something that smelled delicious. The three kids stared at me in awe. I noticed in particular the dark haired boy with the blue shirt. He was very attractive, although he looked quite young. He also seemed to be trying to disguise his interest in me. The pink haired girl just flat out stared. And the brash blonde haired boy walked up to me and said, "So you're Kakashi sensei's lady friend! I'm Uzumaki, Naruto! Wow, you're really pretty! I like your hair!"

I chuckled, warming up to the boy instantly. He was quite a character. "Thank you," I replied. "It's nice to meet you." Then I looked at the other two kids.

The pink haired girl squirmed under my gaze. "Um, hi, I'm Haruno, Sakura. I really like your hair too. Welcome to Konoha." I smiled in thanks, and looked to the dark haired boy.

"I'm Uchiha, Sasuke," he said in his low, cool voice. However, his disinterested tone was clashing with his intense dark gaze, which he couldn't seem to keep off me.

Kakashi walked up to me with the bowl. "Well," he said, "now that you've met my brats, here, eat up. This is the famous Ichiraku ramen, the best in the Land of Fire." I quirked an eyebrow in amusement as I took the bowl.

"So," I said to Kakashi, sitting on the edge of my hospital bed and preparing to dig in, "are you a dad?"

"Hey, I don't look anything like that jerk!" Naruto exclaimed in a disgruntled tone, pointing a finger at Sasuke. Sasuke closed his eyes and turned his face a way in contempt.

"You're right, loser. You're too ugly to be related to me."

Before Naruto could lunge at Sasuke, Sakura had him by the scruff of the neck, waving a fist in his face and threatening death if he hurt 'her precious Sasuke'.

"Excuse them," Kakashi said, smiling apologetically. "I'm their teacher. I train them. They argue a lot, but they're good kids, and I thought it wouldn't hurt to introduce you."

I smiled after slurping some noodles. Really, this ramen was too good. "I don't mind. They're fine with me. Maybe they can show me around."

Hearing this, Naruto squirmed out of Sakura's grip and bounded over to sit by me on the bed, nearly knocking me over. "Awesome!" he exclaimed excitedly. "Konoha is the best! You'll love it here! So, you really can't remember anything?"

I looked up sharply at Kakashi. "What did you tell them?" I inquired, my eyebrow starting to twitch in annoyance. Kakashi just smiled nervously and waved at me with both hands.

"Just that. Nothing else."

I sighed, putting down my now-empty bowl.

"What else is there to tell?" Sasuke asked smoothly, his dark eyes scanning me with curiosity.

Kakashi just turned to the door and waved at the kids dismissively. "It's part of my mission, which you guys don't need to know anything about. Anyway, go show … er… her around."

I chuckled. "Don't worry, Kakashi, I'll come up with a fake name soon to ease your troubles." Kakashi laughed softly.

"Please do." And with that, he disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"So," Sakura said shyly to me, "what would you like to see?"

I shrugged. "You can take me everywhere."

"Alright!" Naruto nearly shouted. "Let's go show you around Konoha!"

Sakura groaned before following Naruto out the door. "Loser," Sasuke muttered, before walking out as well. I smirked in amusement. I wondered how things would go here.


	3. Chapter 3

[Akane's p.o.v.]

I sat with Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura at Ichiraku Ramen after a long day. Naruto really did show me around everywhere. Konoha was actually quite a nice village.

As Naruto led me on his grand tour, I noticed Sasuke staring at me in a strange way. It was a bit frustrating for me that his eyes were so dark and unreadable. I couldn't tell what he was thinking.

As I slurped down my ramen enthusiastically (when I told Naruto how good I thought Ichiraku was, he declared me his new best friend), Sasuke set his chopsticks down and studied me again. He was sitting next to me. I glanced at him as I took a sip of my iced tea.

"Is there any particular reason why you keep looking at me?" I inquired, lifting an eyebrow.

Sasuke stared for a few more seconds before he answered.

"So, you can't remember anything about your past before you ended up here?"

I shook my head, swiveling slightly in my seat so I could face him. "Why do you ask?"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed slightly. "You're strange. How old are you anyway?"

I chuckled. "If I could remember, I would've answered all your burning questions by now."

"Hey, jerk, leave her alone!" Naruto barged into the conversation, waving his fist at Sasuke. "Stupid, Kakashi sensei already told us she can't remember anything, so stop asking!"

Sasuke turned his face away in annoyance. "Shut up, you idiot."

Just then, Kakashi showed up in a puff of smoke

. "Yo!" he called out as he walked over, perverted book in hand. We all voiced our greetings, and then Sakura exclaimed, "Whoa, it's getting late! I'll see you guys tomorrow. Don't be late for the mission!" before running off.

Naruto and Sasuke also got up to leave. Now it was just me and Kakashi. He came to sit by me.

"So, how do you like Konoha?"

"It's nice," I replied, turning to look at the dark sky. "Peaceful."

Kakashi nodded. "So, did you find a hotel for the night?"

I groaned, smacking my forehead. "I forgot."

Kakashi scratched his head.

"Well, we only have one hotel, and I passed it on the way here. There's no vacancy."

I sighed, looking around. "So where am I supposed to go?" Kakashi stood up.

"Well, I have a spare room in my apartment. You're welcome to it. I wouldn't like for you to spend the night out here."

I turned to look at Kakashi suspiciously. Kakashi noticed and chuckled, waving his hand in the air.

"My dear, I'm probably twice your age. You don't have to worry about me trying anything."

I sighed, getting up. "I'd like that. Thank you for helping me. And I wasn't trying to call you a pervert or anything… I just don't know who I can trust here."

Kakashi nodded, starting to walk in the direction of his apartment.

"That's perfectly understandable. You can remain awake all night, if you really want to be safe. I just want you with a roof over your head."

I smiled. This man seemed so reserved and withdrawn. It seemed out of character for him to be so nice.

* * *

I threw on an old shirt Kakashi had given me, and settled in bed with my belongings. I turned on a small lamp at my bedside and pulled out the notebooks from my bag. The first one seemed to be a sketchbook. I opened it, and my mouth dropped open in shock.

It was a drawing of me. A very good one. Underneath it was a name. Akane. 'Who the hell is Akane?' I wondered. 'Is that my name?'

I kept flipping through the sketchbook. There were other drawings of various things, like flowers, a forest, and animals. But I was disturbed by some of the others. They were strange and creepy. There were drawings of me crying, of me screaming in anguish while chained to a wall. Of me naked and bleeding on the floor. Of a hand that looked like mine... gripping a penis and testicles that had been cut off.

I slammed the sketchbook closed, my hands trembling. What the fuck was this?

Drawing in a shaky breath, I reached for the other book and opened it. I felt the blood drain from my face. Glued to the inside was a picture of a woman with bright, flaming red hair and jade green eyes carrying a small child with amber eyes and the same colored hair. The child looked like me. Who was this woman? My mother?

On the next page, there was a sketch of the same woman. She was lying on the floor, dead, with blood trickling out of her mouth. Her eyes were open and empty, seeing nothing.

My hands shook almost violently as I turned the page. It was a diary entry from two years ago.

November 18

_Today is my birthday. I am fourteen. And I've now been in this hellhole for two years and two months. I've decided to start writing so I could maintain what is left of my sanity. As a birthday present, I was only raped once today. My father did the honors. Son of a bitch. _

_I'm afraid to write because I don't want this journal to be found. But whatever. Nothing worse could happen to me at this point._

_I was forced to kill my mother yesterday. She'd only been held prisoner these past two years, but recently she was being tortured. My father wanted to know how my power could be extracted out of me. At the moment, it's too immense to control, so they can only curtail it with a seal. But my mother didn't betray me. May she rest in peace…. Right before I killed her, she said, "Survive, my darling. And thank you for being the one to end my suffering…." Slashing her throat with my sword was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I cried. And I almost never cry. My father walked into the room, and smiled. He called in three of his men and they took turns raping me right next to my mother's dead body. I've never felt more disgusting and degraded. I want to die._

I had to close my eyes for a minute to keep from vomiting all over Kakashi's bed. This wasn't my journal. This hadn't happened to me. It couldn't have. I gulped, turning the page. This entry was nearly a year later.

September 18

_Today is my mother's birthday. I miss her. I remember when I was younger and first learning how to cook. I used to bake a cake every time it was her birthday, and she'd always eat it, no matter how horrible it tasted._

_I've found out how this place works, finally. There are no cameras in my room, which is why this journal hasn't been found yet. But they're everywhere else. I've been sneaking out, even though I knew I would be discovered sooner or later. But I do it anyway. I have to escape for a while. If I don't, I'll kill myself. Every time I sneak out, they're in my room waiting when I return. They rape me, then beat me half to death. I hate that I heal so quickly. It makes them hurt me more often._

_I've decided that I have to escape. I can't take much more. But I have to live. I have to get revenge._

_Summer has come and passed,_

_The innocent can never last_

_Wake me up when September ends…._

I turned the page again, my eyes starting to sting with unshed tears. This was the last entry. It was over a year later.

May 2

_I'm being temporarily sold to a whorehouse. I've packed everything of value to me. They're making me wear a kimono dress and heels. That attire won't do for making my escape. I packed extra clothes just in case. I'm running away tonight. Nothing will stop me. _

_Shit. I've been discovered. I tried to go along with my original plan and be a good little whore, but I could only withstand two men. The second one was the worst. I couldn't take it anymore. I snapped his neck. Killing the bastard was one of the best feelings I've had in years. Too bad it couldn't be more slow and painful. _

_The seal is weakening. I feel stronger. My power is returning. They found the bastard's body faster than I anticipated. I can hear them looking for me. They're getting closer. I have to_

The entry was cut off mid-sentence. I tossed the notebook in my bag, closing my eyes. My God. This wasn't my journal. It couldn't be mine…. I turned off the lamp and forced myself to try to sleep. I couldn't take this. Not today.

[3rd person p.o.v.]

Kakashi jolted awake to the sound of screaming. It was coming from the girl's room. Shit!

He sprinted out of bed and ran to the girl's room. Then he remembered he'd told her to lock her door.

He braced his shoulder against the door before shoving hard, and it flew open.

With his Sharingan, Kakashi couldn't detect any intruder. But the girl was shrieking as if someone was trying to kill her, thrashing in bed and babbling. Kakashi went over to the girl, trying to wake her without startling her.

"Hey, wake up," Kakashi said, shaking the girl gently. He had to do this several more times before the girl stirred. When her eyes opened, she almost screamed again. She shoved away from him and cowered in the corner of the bed, half-sobbing.

"It's me," Kakashi said gently. "Are you alright?"

"…Kakashi?" the girl asked, her tears subsiding.

"Yes," Kakashi said, even more gently. "It's alright. Did you have a bad dream?"

The girl just nodded, turning her head and wiping her face. From the moonlight shining in, Kakashi could tell the girl was sweaty.

"C-can you stay with me?" she asked, looking at him, her amber eyes large and round with fear. But then she turned away again. "You don't have to," she added.

Kakashi smiled at her attempt to be brave. "No, of course I can stay," Kakashi replied. "Would you like for me to sleep on the floor?"

The girl shook her head. "No, you can stay on the bed. Just don't touch me."

Kakashi blinked in confusion. "Okay. Goodnight. I'll be here if you have another nightmare."

The girl nodded shakily and went back under the covers, her back to him. Kakashi lay down and covered himself as well. Yes, it was all starting to make sense now. How jumpy she was when she'd first met him and the Hokage. How she didn't want any man touching her. How she had looked at him when he'd told her he'd stayed with her the whole time she was in the hospital. She'd disguised it pretty well, but she didn't seem to be particularly grateful.

She had been abused by men before. In what way, he didn't know, although he had a pretty good idea. Kakashi shook his head and stared at the girl's back. At her long hair, which glowed a brilliant red even in the darkness. Poor girl. If she did regain her memory, she was in for a lot of problems.


	4. Chapter 4

[Akane's P.O.V]

I woke up feeling very strange. My eyes felt puffy. The tattoo on my back was burning. The pain was bearable, but bothersome just the same. My memory from the night before was hazy.

"Hey, are you up?" a male voice near me inquired.

I jumped upright, slamming backwards into the wall as my eyes shot open.

Kakashi stood before me, fully dressed. "Oh," I breathed in relief, relaxing into bed again. Then I glared at Kakashi. "What the hell are you doing in here, pervert?"

Kakashi got an anime sweat drop, but then looked at me with a strange seriousness.

"You asked me to stay. You had a nightmare last night. It was pretty bad. You were screaming like someone was trying to kill you."

I blinked in surprise, trying to remember the night before. Why the hell was my memory so hazy? The harder I tried to think, the more my tattoo began to burn. I hissed, clenching the top part of my back. Kakashi's eye narrowed.

"That tattoo is bothering you again, isn't it? It's that seal. But why is it acting up again? Did you remember something?"

I shook my head helplessly. My eyes wandered around the bed as I tried to remember what the hell happened the night before. Then my gaze fell on two black notebooks. Suddenly, my tattoo burned so much I doubled over, groaning in agony as I clawed at my back.

Those notebooks… shit. The memories were slowly returning. The horrible drawings. The journal entries. Shit. It wasn't me. It couldn't have been me.

My breath tore from my throat in ragged gasps.

Kakashi thrust me down on the bed, forcing me to look into his face.

"Breathe slowly," I faintly heard him say. I felt his fingers massaging my temples. As I looked into his dark eye, my breathing gradually slowed. The pain in my back subsided slightly. Kakashi's brow furrowed in confusion.

"You looked at those notebooks and started hyperventilating. What's in them that is making you act like this?"

I brushed off Kakashi's hands and turned away so he wouldn't see the tears starting to form in my eyes.

"Nothing. Forget about it." Kakashi got up, his face now a cool mask.

"You don't have to tell me anything. Just don't expect any help if you don't even have the sense to help yourself."

He turned and started to walk away. Before he went out the door, he stopped.

"I'm going on a mission with the brats. We're going to the Wave Country, although you must not know where that is. We shouldn't take long. You're welcome to stay here as long as you want. There's a spare key under the flower pot outside." Then he looked back at me. "Take care."

And with that, he was gone.

I waited until I was sure he was gone before I burst into tears. It was very early when Kakashi left; I cried until the sun rose.

Eventually, I got up and stripped naked before walking into Kakashi's spare bathroom. I looked in the mirror. My eyes and nose were pink from crying, and there were purple rings under my eyes. I twisted around and scrutinized my back. The intricate dragon tattoo that took up the whole right side of my back was throbbing, but it didn't hurt much anymore. My eyes strayed to my lower back, where the seal was. It seemed a little less opaque for some reason.

As if it had faded slightly.

I turned away from the mirror grimly and stepped into the shower. As I let the hot water pummel my body, my thoughts wandered to the last journal entry. It said the seal was weakening. But mine was still pretty strong. If that journal was mine, and I had really run away, maybe the seal was placed on me again before I could get away.

I scrubbed my body with soap, suddenly feeling so disgusted I wanted to tear my skin off.

If that journal was mine, I didn't even want to think about how many men had abused me, including my own father. Fresh tears stung my eyes.

How fucking horrible. I had killed my own mom. This couldn't be…

I slid to the floor of the bathtub and curled into a ball, beginning to cry again. This couldn't be happening to me…

* * *

When I could finally get up again, I dressed in a tight black tank top and capris and went to prepare breakfast. Surprisingly, Kakashi had already left me some miso soup. I warmed it up and ate, and then I studied the damn notebooks again.

The first drawing of me was troubling. The name Akane was written there, so it had to be my name. The journal entries had to be mine. Why else would this book also be with me?

I sighed heavily, resting my head in my hands. Kakashi was right. I had to talk to someone. But I was so afraid of what I'd remember. I flipped to the last entry again. May 2.

My heart began to pound as I noticed the calendar on the wall. I forced myself to go look at it.

The calendar was on the month of May. On the sixth box, in Kakashi's messy scrawl was the note, "Mission to Wave Country with Team 7".

Today was the sixth. I had been hospitalized for three days. It added up. Shit.

I went out the door, taking Kakashi's spare key with me. I had to talk to someone.

* * *

I walked through the village, trying to avoid the curious stares and whispers of people who didn't recognize me. I silently cursed my flaming red hair, which made me stick out like a damn sore thumb. I rubbed my eyes wearily as I walked. This shit was all so complicated. I was thinking about talking to the Hokage … I didn't know what to do, in all honesty. I was lost, with no memory, in a strange village. All I had were a notebook with fucked up drawings and a journal with fucked up fragments of my past life that I'd rather not even know about.

I was so caught up in my thoughts that I didn't look up as I walked. I crashed into someone's hard chest, falling on my ass. I looked up in surprise. Standing before me were three kids who seemed a couple of years younger than me, and a man with bushy eyebrows and a soup bowl haircut.

One of the kids, a girl with her hair in two buns, glared at me. "Hey, watch where you're going!"

"Ten-Ten, don't be rude!" a bushy-browed boy admonished, his hair also in a soup bowl cut. He looked like a miniature of the older man. The boy reached down to take my hand, but I drew back.

"Are you okay? My name is Rock Lee!" the boy said, grinning happily.

I picked myself up and dusted myself off, starting to walk away. "Nice to meet you. Sorry I wasn't paying attention."

"Wait," I heard a voice command. I turned around, annoyed. Now it was the other boy addressing me. He had lavender eyes and long brown hair. He seemed more mature than the others, and also much more conceited.

"What is your name?" he asked, narrowing his eyes suspiciously. "I've never seen you around here before."

I turned my back to the arrogant bastard.

"You don't need to know my name. And I'm not from here. Have a nice day." I started walking again. Suddenly, a kunai whizzed past my face, missing me by a centimeter. I caught it with one hand and turned around to see the lavender-eyed guy in a fighting stance.

"Oy, Neji! What are you doing?" the man demanded, glaring at the boy.

"She's suspicious," Neji replied, glaring at me. I snorted in contempt, although the annoyance in my face had to be hard to miss.

"Listen, I'd appreciate it if you left me alone," I said. "I'm not looking for a fight, but if you really want one, you'll get it."

Neji smirked. "Let's go." I had a feeling this was a bad idea. Adrenaline was pumping through my body. I could feel my tattoo pulsating with excitement. I wanted to draw blood. But why was I feeling like this if I didn't want to fight? I had no more time to think. Neji ran towards me.

I felt something raging inside me as I dodged punches and kicks. I could feel my power straining to get out. My body was almost on autopilot. I couldn't believe I was moving the way I was, with such power and speed. I could tell Neji was surprised, and getting a little nervous. I landed a punch, and before Neji could regain his balance, I grabbed him by the neck, whipping him up into the air before slamming him into the ground, leaving a huge crater. As I lifted my kunai to stab him, a hand grabbed me forcefully, yanking me up and away from Neji.

"What is going on here?" a voice commanded. When I looked behind me, I saw the Hokage, his callused hand still gripping my arm tightly. He was frowning at me.

"This asshole attacked me for no reason!" I snapped after seeing the accusation in the Hokage's eyes. The Hokage's eyes narrowed at Neji.

"Is this true, Hyuuga Neji ?"

I glared at Neji, daring him to lie. Neji bowed before the Hokage.

"Yes, Hokage-sama, it is true. Please forgive me. I was suspicious of this girl because I'd never seen her in the village before."

"Hm," the Hokage grunted, puffing his pipe and releasing his grip on me.

"Fine. Anyhow, she is not an enemy. I am allowing her to stay in the village. Make sure no more misunderstandings occur."

Neji bowed again. "Yes, Hokage-sama. My apologies."

Then the asshole had the nerve to reach out a hand to help me up. "My apologies, miss. I won't attack you again."

"Fuck off," I growled, getting up by myself and walking away from him.

I could hear Neji's teammates laughing behind me. I heard a chortle next to me, and I turned to see the Hokage.

"You are something else. Is that the kind of mouth a lady should have?"

I rolled my eyes in annoyance. "I seem to be having all the luck this week. I'm in a strange area, I don't remember anything, and now random idiots are trying to attack me." The Hokage chuckled again, but his expression sobered quickly. "Speaking of which, have you remembered anything?"

I nearly stopped in my tracks. Shit. I had to tell someone. I needed help.

"… Do you think there's any way you can help me regain my memory?"

The Hokage narrowed his eyes at me as he puffed his pipe.

"No, I told you that seal can only be broken by you. Why?"

I closed my eyes briefly. "I have to talk to you."

* * *

I wiped away the last of my tears. The Hokage's pipe was on the floor, broken from when it had dropped out of his mouth in shock. "That's all I know," I finished hoarsely, looking down at the floor. I couldn't bring myself to meet the Hoakge's pitying eyes.

I heard the Hokage sigh heavily, and before I knew it I was enveloped in such a warm embrace that I wanted to cry again. I stiffened involuntarily, so the Hokage drew back, sensing my discomfort. But he gently pushed my chin up so I could look into his old, weathered face.

"Akane…." he began. "What you have gone through is unforgivable. It is a miracle that you could even function right now. I am honored that you chose to confide in me. Anything you tell me will be kept secret." I nodded, breaking away from his hold.

"Please don't pity me," I said quietly. "Just let me know if there is something I can do to break this seal."

The Hokage returned to his desk, where he pulled out another pipe and packed it with tobacco before lighting it. He appeared to be deep in thought.

"I consulted the sealing team from the Hidden Sand Village. I did not give many details, only a description of the seal. They have never seen it before, but they also agreed that it can only be broken by you."

The Hokage sat down and leaned forward.

"The sealing team recommended that you retrace your steps. Perhaps if you wear what you had on the day you were found, and you enter the forest, it could trigger memories. Also, if it is true that you have some sort of chakra monster inside you, the seal can't hold it in forever."

I nodded slowly, my eyes narrowing. That wasn't a bad idea, actually. Then I remembered my fight with Neji.

'Hokage-sama.. While I was fighting Neji, I thought I could feel the power inside me straining against the seal. Do you think if I began training it could help break it?"

The Hokage nodded, blowing out a puff of smoke.

"It is possible. When Kakashi returns I will have him train you with his team. You get along with them, correct?"

I shrugged. "For the most part, yes."

"Alright then," the Hokage said. "Try what I have suggested. I wish you the best of luck. And please be careful. You probably don't know just how much strength you have. Don't try to force it all out at once."

I nodded.

"Thank you very much for your help, Hokage-sama. You have been too kind." I hesitantly offered my hand.

The Hokage smiled, gripping it firmly. "You don't have to thank me, child. Now go. And don't hesitate to come to me if you need anything."


	5. Chapter 5

[Akane's p.o.v.]

Two days had passed since I'd last seen the Hokage, or anyone, for that matter. Whenever I wasn't eating or reading one of Kakashi's perverted books, I sat by a window, looking out in a daze. I was afraid to sleep because of the nightmares.

I didn't really know where to go from here. The Hokage's advice made some sense initially, but it seemed a bit far-fetched to me now. I had no desire to put on a tattered dress that was crusty with blood and wander around in the forest until I remembered something. I paced Kakashi's living room with my thumb nail in my mouth as I thought. Shit. I was stuck.

* * *

Another day passed before I decided to venture out into the village again. I needed new clothes before Kakashi kicked me out for using all of his.

As I walked, I observed. Konoha was really quite a nice village. Kids were out running and playing. Young ninjas in training were laughing and throwing sharp weapons as they sparred. Everyone went about their business. I was still receiving a couple of curious stares, but no one seemed hostile towards me. 'Except Neji', I thought wryly, rolling my eyes.

I made my way into a clothing store, ignoring the curious stares from other girls. I hurried through the racks, picking up the basics – underwear, tank tops and cotton t-shirts, comfortable pants, and a couple of pairs of ninja sandals. At the last minute, I also picked up some cotton bandages to bind my breasts with. Bras would be out of the question once I started training with Kakashi and his team. The things were damned uncomfortable anyway.

As I waited in line, I noticed two girls whispering back and forth and glancing at me. One was Ten-Ten, the girl from Neji's group, and the other was a bitchy looking blonde with baby blue eyes. I shrugged it off and paid for my things, and exited the store.

"Wait!" I heard someone call. I turned to see who was calling me. It was the blonde.

"Hey, are you the girl who showed up here who can't remember anything? And who fought Neji?" she asked bluntly. My eyebrows raised in amusement. How this girl knew all that was beyond me.

"I suppose that would be me. Is it safe to assume that I'm the talk of the town right now?"

The girl shrugged, assessing me coolly with her pretty blue eyes.

"You could say that. You're really pretty. Plus it's not every day that a stranger wanders into Konoha and the Hokage lets them stay. On top of that, Neji's really strong, so it's impressive that you held your own against him."

I snorted. "Whatever. What's your name, anyway?"

"Ino. And you?"

"Akane."

Ino giggled, glancing at my hair. "How fitting."

I was getting tired of chatting with this air-headed girl. I turned my back.

"Well, nice meeting you. See you around."

"Wait! I think I could help you with your memory."

I whipped around, staring at the girl.

"What?"

Ino elaborated.

"My father, Inoichi, works with the Konoha Interrogation Squad. He looks into the minds of criminals for intel. He can unlock barriers that may have been placed on someone's mind. Maybe he could help you."

My heart started rushing. That was a wonderful idea.

"Where can I find him?"

Ino pointed out the building. I thanked her about ten times before running to Kakashi's home to drop off my things. Changing clothes, I rushed back out and went to search for Inoichi.

* * *

"What the hell do you mean I can't see him?" I snapped at the secretary. The stuck-up bitch simply studied her manicure, refusing to look at me.

"Exactly that. I can't let you through. Inoichi is a busy man. And on top of that, you don't even know his full name. And you're not from this village. You can't be trusted."

I slowly slid into a chair and placed my elbows on the secretary's desk, lowering my eyelids and piercing her with my gaze. She leaned back and blinked at me in alarm.

"Listen, miss. I'm not a very patient person. I'm looking for Inoichi for a very important reason." I lowered my voice until it was seductive and husky, running a long fingernail over the desk.

"Now… Are you going to let me through, or am I going to have to take your computer and shove it down your fucking throat?"

From the feral gleam in my eye, the secretary could tell my threat wasn't empty. I didn't think it was anatomically possible to put a computer down someone's throat, but I was damn well going to try.

The secretary gulped, handing me a pass.

"Third floor. Fifth door on the left."

I snatched the pass from her hand and sauntered away with a smirk. However, I was no fool. I wasn't surprised in the least to find ten ANBU men waiting for me when I reached the third floor. A man with long blonde hair and strong facial features was among them.

"Are you Inoichi?" I asked the blonde man. He nodded.

"How may I help you? The secretary downstairs said you were causing a disturbance."

I rolled my eyes. These people had no idea what disturbance I could really cause.

"Your daughter, Ino said you might be able to help me. My name is Akane, I'm the mystery girl with no memory that everyone is talking about."

Inoichi's baby blue eyes widened in recognition.

"Ah, I see. Yes, I have heard of you. So, you want me to see if I can help you remember anything?"

I nodded. I noticed the ANBU men backing off when they realized I wasn't a threat.

"I'll see what I can do," Inoichi said with a friendly smile, beckoning for me to follow him.

* * *

Inoichi studied the seal on my back with a frown.

"There have been whispers of a jutsu that was being created to cause permanent amnesia. Its intended use was to prevent intel from being leaked to enemies. It is now a forbidden jutsu because so many people have died."

My eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Inoichi elaborated.

"It is incompatible with the chakra of many. Many people end up rejecting the seal eventually, and their memories rush back too quickly for the mind to process it. This leads to overflow of chakra in the circulatory system because your chakra is trying to stop the immense rush of blood to your brain. The end results are brain hemorrhages, heart attacks, or grievous and irreversible brain damage. The hemorrhages and heart attacks are severe enough to die from."

My mouth was dry. As the implications settled in, my palms got clammy. Inoichi studied my ashen face with his mouth in a grim line.

"If you wish for me to try to help, you must realize the risks. It is a good sign that you haven't reacted badly to the seal, but that may have to do with the fact that your power has been curtailed. If I can remove the barriers and free your power, your body may react badly if you end up breaking the seal. Do you understand?"

I nodded numbly.

"Do it."

Inoichi nodded, and motioned for me to step into some strange machine. Once I was inside, only my head was sticking out. Inoichi placed his hand on my head and closed his eyes.

"I am going to look into your mind now. Please relax."

I let out a breath and closed my eyes. Seconds later, I fell into darkness.

**Author's Note: so sorry for the late update! i've been very busy, and i've had writer's block lol -_- i have an idea of how i want this story to go, but these chapters that introduce the beginning of akane's life in konoha are tedious to write. but i hope you enjoy! xoxox**


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